Fayaz Bukhari/Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Dec 24: While fresh snowfall on Pir Panjal hampered the snow clearance work on Mughal Road, lying closed for the last 15 days, cold wave continued in Kashmir as the night temperature stayed several degrees below the freezing point. Day temperatures were also below normal forcing people to stay indoors.
Kargil, in Ladakh region, was the coldest recorded place in the region as the minimum temperature there settled at minus 11.4 degrees Celsius last night, an increase of nearly four degrees from minus 15.2 degrees Celsius the previous night. The day temperature of the place was at minus 3.1 degrees Celsius.
Leh town recorded a low of minus 9.6 degrees Celsius, an increase of over three degrees from the previous night’s minus 13.1 degrees Celsius. The day temperature of the place was minus 6.1 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Srinagar settled at minus 2 degrees Celsius last night, compared to minus 2.1 degrees Celsius on the previous night. The day temperature of the place settled at 6.8 degrees Celsius.
Mercury at Qazigund in South Kashmir was at a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, compared to minus 1 degree Celsius of the previous night. The day temperature of the place settled at 8.4 degrees Celsius. Kokernag recorded a low of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, down from yesterday’s zero degrees Celsius. The day temperature of the place settled at 7.3 degrees Celsius.
Kupwara town in North Kashmir registered a low of minus 2.5 degrees Celsius last night. The day temperature of the place settled at 11.2 degrees Celsius.
The mercury at the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in North Kashmir settled at a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, up from the previous night’s minus 7 degrees Celsius. The resort continued to be the coldest recorded place in the Valley. The day temperature of the place settled at 1.6 degree Celsius.
The night temperature in Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius, up nearly two degrees from minus 5.9 degrees Celsius. The day temperature of the place was 5.5 degrees Celsius.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai Kalan, 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably. It ends on January 31 next year, but the cold wave continues even after that in the Valley. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai Bachha’ (baby cold).
The MET office has forecast mainly dry weather in the Valley over the next few days which will lead to further drop in night temperatures across the region.
Meanwhile, a landslide hit Kondbal area of Mansbal in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district today without causing any damage to life and public property.
The winter capital city recorded temperature below normal due to light snowfall at the higher reaches. The minimum temperature recorded in the city was 7.5 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal, while the day temperature recorded on Saturday was two degrees below average at 17.8 degrees Celsius, a Met official said.
Katra, the base camp for the Shri Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrims registered a dip in the night temperature which settled at 7.8 degrees Celsius against the previous night’s 8.4 degrees Celsius.
Banihal, the highway town in Ramban district recorded a low of 1.3 degree, almost three notches below the previous night, the official said.
He said the high altitude areas of Jammu region experienced light snowfall during the past 24 hours.
Reports from Poonch said that intermittent snowfall is hampering efforts to restore Mughal road, which links the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri with Kashmir.
An official spokesman said that the road remained closed for the 15th day. He said several attempts were made to clear the road from snow and make it traffic worthy but frequent snowfall is hampering efforts.
About three to four feet of snow accumulated Peer Ki Gali area. The clearance operation reached Chattapani day before yesterday but a fresh bout of snow forced suspension of the operation. The restoration work depends on the weather condition, he added.
Meanwhile, one-way traffic was plying smoothly along nearly 300-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Srinagar-bound vehicles left Jammu this morning and traffic was moving smoothly, a senior Traffic police official said.
Keeping in view the condition of the road, especially between Jawahar Tunnel and Ramban, coupled with narrow width at some places, only one-way traffic is feasible on the highway, he added.
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